Controlling mechanism for flying machines



Nov- 17,1925- R. E. MITTON CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR FLYING MACHINES Original Filed Jan. 6, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheep 1 Nov. '17, 1925 1,561,793 R. E. MITTON I CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR FLYING MACHINES Original Filed Jan. 6, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 1'7, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

noBEnm ELVYN MITTON, orsALT LAKE CITY, UTA Assienon TO THE Mrrron- BRALEY AEROPLANE conrnor. COMPANY, or SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, A CORPORA- TION OF UTAH.

CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR FLYING MACHINES.

Application filed'January 6, 1923,.Se1'ia1 No. 611,097. Renewed'May 19, 1925.

To all whom it may concern. I

Be it known that I, ROBERT ELVYN Mrr- TON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake and State of Utah, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Controlling Mechanism for Flying Machines, of which the followingv is specification. I I This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in controlling mechanism for flying machines, which consists of the novel arrangements of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

One object of this invention is to provide a. control that will automatically maintain the lateral and longitudinal stability of the flying machine.

Another object of this invention is to provide a control which will instantly guide the machine in any direction, in a modified manner, but when desirable will make any correction-necessary to maintain stability unaided by the pilot.

Anotherobject of this invention is to provide a. control with which it would be difiicult to place the flying machine far from itsnatural flying attitude, thus doing away with the hazardous; stunts.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification.

. Figure 1 is a side View of an aeroplane showing the invention in place with" the control wires attached thereto.

Fig. 2, is a front view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is a plan view of the invention. Fig. 4, is a side view of the invention. Fig. 5, is a front end view of the invention.

Similar letters and numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

A denotes the frame, B the plane, R the right aileron, L the left aileron, C the rudder, Ethe elevators, G the brace to which 'the invention is secured to the frame A, H the pilotsseat, 1 the control wheel, secured to-the shaft 2. The shaft 2 sliding within the bearings 3 and 4. The shaft having a slot.5 therein throughwhich passes the upper end of the pendulum 7. The pendulum 7 is made in two sections and secured together at 9. The lugs 10 and 11 of the pendulum resting in the groove 8 that is in the bearing 4 thus allowing the pendulum 7 to rotate freely within said groove. By theleg 6 of the pendulum passing through the slot 5 the pilot can oper ate the ailerons by turning the control wheel. 'VVhenthe pendulum 7 swings to the right or left it will operatethe control wheel and ailerons without the aid of the pilot. 'The pendulum 7 does not swing backward or forward.

shafts 19 projecting therefrom, the ends of said shafts being journaled in bearings secured to the side of the frame A. ()n the ends of the shafts 19 are secured lugs forming two arms '20 and 21 to which are attached the wires that control the eleva- .tors. v The pilot can operate the elevators by pulling the control wheel backward or pushing it, forward, and the pendulum 17 will operate the control wheel and elevators as it swings backward or forward. The

pendulum 17 will not swing to the right or left. WV hen the pendulum'swings backward or forward the pendulum 7 remains stationary, and when the pendulum 7 is moved to the'right or-left the pendulum 17 remains stationary. Thus in this manner the elevators can be operated independently ofthe ailerons and the ailerons can be operated independently of the elevators by the pilot when he so desires.

Fastened to the horns 20 are the wires that raise the elevators E. The wires 44 fastened to the h0rns21 lowerthe elevas tors.- I

The wires53 and 53 fastened to the top end of the pendulum 7 and running through pulleys 70 and 70 to the bottomking post of they ailerons and the balance wire 54 fastened to the top king post of the right aileron and running through pulleys to the top king post of the left aileron operate the ailerons when the pendulum T is operated.

Banking, turning, ascending or descending is accomplished in the following manner; turning the control wheel 1 to the right moves the top of the pendulum 7 to the right thereby operating the control wire 53 to raise the right aileron R and depress the left aileron L thus causing the aeroplane to bank or lean to the right.

Turning the control wheel 1 to the left moves the top of the pendulum 7 to the left thereby operating the control wire 53 and 53' to raise the left aileron and depress the right aileron thus causing the aeroplane to bank or lean to the left.

-Pushing control wheel 1 ahead moves the lower end of pendulum 1T slightly to the rear turns shaft 19 on which pendulum 17 is mounted on a lateral axis, thereby operating horns 21 attached to the end of said shaft in such a way as to draw on wire 4% to depress the elevators which raises the tail and causes the aeroplane to descend.

Pulling control wheel 1 backward moves the lower end of pendulum l7 slightly to the front turns shaft 19 on which pendulum 17 is mounted on a lateral axis thereby operating horns 20 attached to the end of said shaft in such a way as to draw on wire 43 to raise the elevators which depresses the tail and causes the aeroplane to ascend.

When the control wheel 1 is pushed forward and turned to the right simultaneously it accomplishes the result of the movement to the right and the movement forward, respectively, at the same time, that is it throws the upper end of pendulum 7 to the right and the lower end of pendulum 17 back ward, rocks elevator horns forward depressing the elevators, depressing left aileron and raising right aileron, thus causing the aeroplane to bank to the right nose down and descend in a spiral to the right.

When the control wheel 1 is pushed forward and turned to the left simultaneously its movements are opposite from the above, that is the aeroplane will bank to the left nose down and descend in a spiral to the left.

lVhen the control wheel 1 is pulled backward and turned to the right simultaneously it accomplishes the result of the movement to the right and movement backward, respectively, at the same time. That is, it throws the upper end of the pendulum 7 to the right and the lower end of the pendulum 17 forward, rocks elevator hornsbackward thereby raising elevators, depressing left aileron and raising right aileron, thus-causing aeroplane to bank to the right nose up and climb in a spiral to the right.

lVhen the control wheel is pulled backward and turned to the left simultaneously its movements are opposite from the above that is the aeroplae will bank to the left nose up and climb in a spiral to the left.

It will be understood that the rudder operated by the feet by means of the rudder bar 61 is used in conjunction with any of the above described movements which include a turning movement about a vertical axis.

Control; the automatic operation of parts to maintain ship in a level position.

After a study of the drawings of the in vention it will be readily seen that since it is possible to operate the pendulums as well as the controlling surfaces whenever a movement is made by the hands with the control wheel the pendulums can react these movements as far as the correction of any disturbances of the balance of the aeroplane is concerned. Thus if an upward current of air should unexpectedly raise the right wing out of level position it will be seen that the pendulums actuated by the force of gravity will not move with the ship but will remain straight downward. The ship tipping to the left would then automatically operate its wheel to the right, since it is obvious that the pendulum would then be in a position to the left, and in so doing would operate its ailerons to return the machine to the level position, when all controls would be neutralized. It is stated above that the machine turns its own control wheel to the left under the aforesaid circumstances, this it does not literally do, but, it accomplishes practically the same thing because the ship turns about the longitudinal axis of the machine leaving the wheel stationary, thereby operating the control more effectively and exactly than if the wheel itself was turned to accomplish the same results. The operation of the ailerons by means of the wheel control is fully explained in the paragraphs on operation.

When the ship tips to the right or op posite to the above all movements and corrections for same are exactly opposite or vice versa to the above.

Having disposed of the lateral oscillations of the aeroplane in flight in this manner, 1 will now take the longitudinal disturbances. Thus if an upward current of air should strike the tail of the machine it would throw its nose down or in a position to descend, which it would immediately do. In this case it will be seen that while the: ship was tipping forward it would leave the pendulum 1.7 in exactly the same position as it would be in if the control wheel was pulled back when the machine was level, or in other words it would be hanging forward, the wheel would be automatically thrown back, thus giving the proper correct-ion. since this movement, as explained in the paragraphs on operation raises the eleven tors thereby depressing the tail to a level position, then all parts are neutralized because the pendulum is then in dead center.

If the ship should strike a current of air that would tip it backward or nose up the operation would be opposite from the above.

The single, lateral and longitudinal movements of the ship taken separately have been described. I will give an explanation of the more complicated, combined, lateral and longitudinal movements and corrections.

If an upward current of air should simultaneously raise the right wing and tail out of a level position, the ship tipping to the left and forward, would then automatically operate its control wheel to the right and backward, since it is obvious that the pendulums would then be in a position to the left and forward respectively, and in so doing would operate the ailerons and elevators to return the machine to a level position.

If an upper current of air should simultaneously raise the left wing and tail out of a level position, the control working through the principles explained would automatically turn the wheel to the left and backward, thus depressing the right aileron and raising the left aileron and raising the elevators and causing the machine to return to a level position.

If the current of air should simultaneously raise the right wing and depress the tail out of a level position the control would automatically turn the control wheel to the right and forward, thus depressing the left aileron and raising the right aileron and depressing the elevators causing the machine to return to a level position.

If acurrent of air should simultaneously raise the left wing and depress the tail out of a level position the control would automatically turn the control wheel to the left and forward thus depressing the right aileron andraising the left aileron and depressing the elevators, thus causing the machine to return to a level position.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is;

1. A controlling mechanism for flying machines of the character described, comprising a control wheel and pendulums, a shaft operated by said control wheel and pendulums, one of said pendulums to give a rocking movement to said shaft and the other of said pendulums to give a sliding movement to said shaft, means for securing said mechanism to said flying machine and means for controlling the elevators and ailerons of said flying machine.

2. A controlling mechanism for flying machines of the character described, comprising a control wheel and pendulums, a shaft attached to said control wheel and pendulums, said shaft mounted in bearings secured to said flying machine frame, a slot in said shaft through which passes one of said pendulums, a socket on the end of said shaft having a cap thereon, a ball having an arm projecting therefrom, said ball secured within said socket by said cap and means for sup-porting said pendulums to said frame.

3. A controlling mechanism for flying machines of the character described, com prising a control wheel mounted on a shaft, pendulums for operating said shaft, one of said pendulums for rotating said shaft and the other of said pendulums to give a sliding movement to said shaft, one of said pendulums resting in a bearing secured to the brace of said flying machine frame, and the other of said pendulums resting in a swivel bearing the shafts thereof being journaled in bearings secured to the side of said frame, said shafts having horns thereon to which is attached the wires for controlling the elevators.

4. A controlling mechanism for flying machines of the character described comprising a control wheel mounted on a shaft, said shaft having an opening therein, a pendulum for rotating said shaft passing through said opening, said pendulum being secured in said opening by bearings secured to the cross brace of the flying machine,

means forattaching Wires to said pendulum for operating said ailerons and means. for securing said mechanism to the flying ma chine.

5. A controlling mechanism for flying machines of the character described com prising a control wheel and a pendulum, said pendulum to give a sliding movement to a shaft secured to said control wheel, said pendulum secured to said shaft by means of a ball and socket, said pendulum supported by a swivel bearing and means on said swivel bearing for operating the elevators.

In witness whereof I affix my signature.

ROBERT ELVYN MITTON. 

